Buttermere Valley photographs - Gavin Dronfield photography

Scale Force waterfall

woodhouse islands reflected in crummock water under cloud enshrouded high crag ridge on grey autumn day

Woodhouse Islands on Crummock Water

grasmoor and whiteless pike reflected in serene buttermere lake under blue summer skies

Reflections of Grasmoor and Whiteless Pike

colourful summer sunset over Buttermere Valley from Fleetwith Pike with sunburst

Fleetwith Pike sunset

Sail Beck Valley

Buttermere lone tree in calm winter mist

Buttermere lone tree in mist

Haystacks fell cloudy dawn with Green Crag and Great Round How

Haystacks fell dawn mist

Tarns on Haystack’s summit plateau

Innominate Tarn view towards red tinged Great Gable during atmospheric stormy sunset

Innominate Tarn sunset panorama

Dubs Hut bothy in august heather with path to Haystacks

Dubs Hut bothy panorama

shafts of light over Buttermere from Warnscale Bothy

Warnscale Bothy sunset

Honister Pass and Gatesgarthdale Beck from Dale Head

Gatesgarthdale Beck in Honister Pass

Buttermere Scots Pines dawn reflection panorama with char hut

Sunrise over the Buttermere Pines

Haystacks crags dominate over the Warnscale Bottom valley

Warnscale Bottom and Haystacks

High Stile ridge rising above fog enshrouded Ennerdale and Buttermere valleys seen from Green Gable at sunset

High Stile from Green Gable

Buttermere ash and oak

Loweswater and Loweswater Fell from Mellbreak in summer

Loweswater from Mellbreak

Crummock Water and Buttermere lakes surrounded by fells from south summit of Mellbreak under blue winter skies

Mellbreak view of Buttermere

About the Buttermere Valley

I 'discovered' the Buttermere Valley relatively recently as it was always on the far side of the Lake District when travelling from Yorkshire. All it took was one camping weekend in Buttermere village and a couple of days of hiking to realise that I was going to come back here time and time again though. And so it has been.

The fells lining the head and south of the valley form a great ridge walk and include Wainwright's favourite Haystacks. Also the path lining the lake shore has to be one of the best easy walks in the Lake District.

Venture further down the valley and there are the lakes of Crummock Water and Loweswater with their bordering fells. Here it is much quieter than the head of the Buttermere Valley but well worth exploring too.